Early Return

From AFSWiki

"Early Return" is the AFS term used when a participant (or stu) returns home before the designated end of the AFS program. Abbreviation is ER.

Early returns initiated by AFS are an unusual occurrence. An early return initiated by AFS can be considered only after all counseling efforts have been investigated and thorough information sharing has occurred between the hosting and sending country offices, ensuring that the explanation for the early return is fully understood by both and that the decision can be confidently explained to the participant and natural family. The decision to return a participant home early is a consensual one between AFS Team volunteers, local volunteers and AFS Regional Service Center staff. All parties must be in agreement on this course of action. The critical need is to describe to AFS in the participant's home country what the problem seems to be, what has been done to correct the situation, and how all the parties view the situation. The participant's home country AFS office needs to have enough information to explain a participant's early return to his natural parents. Without a solid foundation of information which is shared with the partner office in a timely manner (at the time events are occurring), AFS in the participant's home country is at a disadvantage with natural parents.

Contents 1 The AFS participation agreement 2 Early returns normally occur under one of the following conditions... 3 Early returns may occur under 4 Travel time line for early return 5 Early Return at the Request of Participant/Natural Family (PRTN) 6 Program Release 7 Unilateral Release 8 Program Waiver

The AFS participation agreement

All AFS participants and their natural families sign a Participation Agreement with AFS which outlines the terms and conditions that AFS, participants, and natural families agree to abide by during the participant's exchange experience. The participation agreement is the only legally binding contract that exists between AFS, participants and their natural families and therefore all decisions to early return a participant must be related to the terms for early return outlined in this document. Below are the four principle clauses contained in the participation agreement which specifically address actions, behaviors, or circumstances which can lead to the early return of a program participant:

It is understood that while on the program, participants will not drive a car or any other vehicle requiring a license according to local laws on public highways or any other public area, nor will participants initiate actions in order to acquire a license. It is understood that failure to comply is cause for termination from the program and early return to the home country.

It is understood that participants will assume the program responsibilities and requirements identified by AFS for the assigned program including orientation activities arranged by AFS prior to departure from the home country, during the stay abroad and after returning home. For school-based year and semester programs, participants agree to attend school and assume course work responsibilities in accordance with the guidelines of the hosting school. Disregard or violation of these responsibilities and requirements may be cause for termination from the program and early return to the home country.

AFS reserves the right to cancel an individual's participation and to return the individual home early if s/he violates the provisions of the Participation Agreement Terms and Conditions or develops personal behavior or pursues actions which in the sole judgment of AFS would not be in the best interest of the participant or of AFS. Examples: A participant's driving a car is cause for an early return to the home country; a participant's abuse of alcoholic beverages, or use or involvement with drugs for non-medicinal purposes are cause for an early return to the home country.

AFS reserves the right to terminate an individual's participation and to return the individual home early if s/he develops a medical or other condition that prohibits his or her continued active participation in AFS program responsibilities, or if in the opinion of medical professionals the patient should be moved home for ongoing treatment and care.

Early returns normally occur under one of the following conditions...

1. External forces, i.e., situations in a participant's home country that require him or her to return early.
2. Illness, injury, or death that may befall a close relative or friend of the participant. Depending on the wishes of the participant and his or her natural family, s/he may return to complete the hosting experience.
3. Medical and/or psychological problems that the participant incurs.
4. Infraction of one of the Three AFS Rules.

Early returns may occur under

The following is a list of participant actions that may result in the early return of the participant. As an international organization that deals with many different cultures and communication norms, it is important that reasonable judgment and sensitivity be exercised in the course of discussions about these issues.

• Non adjustment. Participants are expected to make an effort to adapt to their new environment and become part of their new family. Adjustment is of course a process and one that is easier for some participants than for others. AFS supports a student through this process by offering the students an orientation program as well as a personal liaison with whom s/he can talk things over and receive advice. If it is determined that a student is either unwilling or unable to adapt (and usually this is determined only after the student has been given the opportunity to change families at least once and after all other efforts have failed) an early return can be considered.

• Alcohol consumption: Participants are expected to observe host family guidelines concerning the use of alcohol. AFS participants are not exempted from state laws regarding the minimum drinking age, and are subject to legal penalties upon violation of those laws. Participants arrested or convicted of drinking age violations are subject to early termination from the AFS program.

• School attendance and performance: AFS participants are required to attend high school and perform to the best of their capabilities. Participants demonstrate that they are performing to the best of their ability by attending school daily unless excused due to illness, participating fully in all classes, completing all assignments, and following all school rules and policies. Repeated unexcused absences, inappropriate behavior or failure to complete assignments can be cause for consideration of an early return. In addition, expulsion from school can also result in early return consideration.

• Unauthorized independent travel: Only travel done in accordance with the Independent Travel Guidelines is considered authorized.

• Violations of the law: The nature and seriousness of the offense will determine procedure and possible action. Criminal prosecution, theft, or shoplifting is grounds for early return of a participant.

Travel time line for early return

Once the final determination for an early return has been made, return travel will normally be arranged within 3-4 days once the decision is made. It is important to understand however that this timeline needs to be flexible depending on existing limitations that must be accommodated to use the return portion of the participant's ticket or in the case that the sending office needs more time to contact the natural family

Early Return at the Request of Participant/Natural Family (PRTN)

Although the majority of decisions for an early return are made by AFS, sometimes the request comes directly from the participant, with the support of natural parents, for personal reasons. Participants who decide to early return must return home directly from their host family. The following conditions apply:

1. The natural family must sign an Early Return - Participant Request Form.
2. The participant's international travel will be booked by AFS Travel.
3. The natural family is responsible for the cost of domestic travel in the host country.
4. Participants will be covered by AFS medical insurance until their flight lands in their home country.
5. The participant forfeits all other AFS program services.

See sample of Early Return - Participant Request form in appendix.

Program Release

Participants may be released from the AFS program if AFS receives a written request from natural parents. Often this occurs at the end of the program year, and the participant releases after his or her end-of-stay orientation. Under these conditions, AFS will issue the return portion of the international travel ticket to the participant providing he or she and the natural parents accept the following conditions:

1. AFS receives a Program Release form signed by the natural parents
2. the participant forfeits all AFS program services
3. the participant/natural family are responsible for the participant's travel back to the sending country, including:
   1. securing reservations with the airline
   2. paying any additional surcharges request by the airline for adjustments in date or travel itinerary
   3. paying for and arranging domestic travel within the hosting country to the point of international departure
   4. paying for and making all arrangements for, if necessary, a ticket to replace the ticket surrendered by AFS should the participant stay beyond the valid date of the ticket or be otherwise unable or unwilling to meet any conditions requested by the airline
4. the student/natural family are responsible for insuring that the student complies with all visa and immigration requirements.

Requests to be released from the program and remain in the host country: These requests must be strongly discouraged. In most countries, the validity of the student's visa is linked to being on the program. In addition, in the U.S., hosted students enter under the auspices of a J-1 visa (see U.S. Immigration Regulations Regarding Foreign Students in Appendix). This visa is issued with the stipulation that the sponsoring organization (AFS) assumes responsibility for the participant. Therefore, even if a participant is released from the program, AFS can still potentially be held responsible as the sponsoring organization for the student's presence in the community. In addition, AFS could be held accountable for violating the conditions by which the visa was granted to the student.

This kind of situation usually is the result of adjustment problems or difficulties. The student may be "bored" or not interested in what AFS has to offer. Therefore, a request for the return ticket so that the student can travel around the host country while the program is still in progress should not be treated as the superficial request that it appears to be, but as the counseling problem that in reality it probably is.

Both the hosting and sending countries need to conduct a thorough investigation as to the reasons for such program release requests. If the placement situation cannot be satisfactorily improved, then the student should return home early for non-adjustment reasons.

See sample of Program Release form in appendix.

Unilateral Release

A Unilateral Release is not used instead of a Program Release. It is issued by the hosting country only if the natural parents have received a Program Release and refuse to sign it. The decision to issue this document is taken in consultation with the AFS International Administration.

In cases of a Unilateral Program Release, a letter is sent to the natural parents indicating that AFS has found it necessary to issue a Unilateral Release in response to the student's behavior (specific details included-- e.g. runaway, refuses to return home, etc.), and that AFS is taking this step due to the parent's refusal to sign the standard Program Release form.

Program Waiver

A Program Waiver is a commonly used AFS document releasing AFS from responsibility for a participant for a specified duration of time while the student travels independently of AFS. This document should be initiated from the natural parents in the sending country, a copy of which will be transmitted to the hosting country and kept on file. Independent travel is never authorized by AFS unless a signed Program Waiver has been received.

A Program Waiver should be sought if

the student is traveling without his/her host family or AFS chaperone outside of the host community for a duration that exceeds a weekend.

Question: Is "Program Waiver" an old way of describing independent travel?